Paper trimming and piling apparatus



Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15. 1956 Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS 5 v PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1956 e Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI f/wae/w/r 5 (am/90am- Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS 2,958,431

PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I IN V EN TOR. fie'der m/r 15 ('0/12/7/4/5 Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS s Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1956 Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1956 WNN W Rm fik A %N \N MN QM kw x \m\ N K .i.

/%//a/way Nov. 1, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS PAPER TRIMMING AND FILING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March is, 1956 BY 42 M PAPER TRIMMING AND PILING APPARATUS Frederick B. Curtenius, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Rice Barton Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 15, 1956, Ser. No. 571,752

18 (Ilaims. (Cl. 214-45) This invention relates to improvements in paper trimming and piling apparatus. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a paper trimming machine and movable receiving carriage for trimming and ejecting trimmed stacks of paper and transferring the stacks in regularly lined manner to piles for shipment.

Second, to provide paper piling apparatus that will receive and handle stacks of paper from a trimming machine that are too large and heavy to be manually ham dled and pile the stacks in aligned relation without the necessity of manually piling of the paper.

Third, to provide an improved form of piling apparatus in which laterally movable tables are vertically adjustably supported from an overhead hoist to permit the tables to be lowered into proximity with the top of a pile of paper to pile an additional stack of paper on the pile.

Fourth, to provide a paper piling machine with apparatus to control the operation of the machine automatically through a piling cycle.

ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there are six sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the trimming and piling apparatus.

Fig. l is a plan view of the paper trimmer and piler apparatus with the piler in advanced piling position and with portions of the hoisting mechanism broken away in cross section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross sectional view through the piling apparatus taken along the plane of the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view through the piler taken along the plane of the line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the tables of the piler in partially actuated positions.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the controls of the piler.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional View through the piler carriage taken along the plane of the line 66 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control system of the piler.

A great deal of paper particularly that used in sheet type printing presses is accurately trimmed to size by the paper manufacturer and delivered to the user in piles three to four feet high. Machines known as trimmers are use-d to trim the sheets accurately to size and the present invention utilizes a more or less standard trimming machine with certain modifications and additions to be described.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated generally a trimmer 1 having a front or receiving table 2 and a back table 3. A bridge 4 extends over the tops of the tables and supports clamping mechanism (not illustrated) for clamping a stack of sheets of paper against the back table 2,958,431 Patented Nov. 1,1960

so that the stack may be trimmed by a vertically movable power driven knife 6. The back edge of the stack of paper to be trimmed is located against a back guide plate 7 that is slidably and adjustably mounted on the back table in parallel relationship to the knife for movement toward and away from the knife to determine the width of the paper after trimming. A stack of paper located ready for trimming is indicated at 8. The structure so far described is more or less standard in paper trimmers and so has not been described in greater detail.

Paper trimmers commonly have a capacity for trimming stacks of paper that are six to ten inches high and when the individual sheets are of the order of 20 x 40 inches in size a stack of paper is too heavy for manual handling and it is the practice of the trimmer operators to load the trimmer table with small successive bundles of sheets that are taken manually from a supply table and built up into the stack to be trimmed. The present invention provides for the power delivery of the trimmed stack to a receiving and piling apparatus and for this purpose the back guard 7 of the trimmer is provided with a pair of rearwardly projecting air cylinders 9 having piston rods 10 and ejector faces 11 recessed into the front side of the back guide. When the stack has been trimmed the back guide is run forward to the limit of its travel behind the location of the knife 6 and compressed air is then delivered to the cylinders 9 to extend the piston rods 10 and push the stack forward across the front table 2 and onto the transfer apparatus. The standard paper trimmer is thus modified by the addition of the air cylinders 9 and air conduits 12 for supplying the air cylinders. A valve for controlling the air cylinders is indicated at 13 at the front of the machine.

The paper transferring and piling apparatus that receives the trimmed stack from the trimmer consists generally of a U-shaped base 14 having wheels 15 mounted thereon and rolling in tracks 16 to move the apparatus toward and away from the trimmer. The base 14 carries four upright corner posts 17 on which hoisting mechanism to be described is mounted. Slidably guided on the corner posts is a rectangular platform frame generally indicated at 18 and the platform is adjustably supported by the hoisting mechanism. The platform frame 18 carries a transversely adjustable side guide 19 and an adjustable back guide 20 that coact to form a locating corner for the stack of trimmed paper. A stack of trimmed paper indicated at 21 is supported between the guides 19 and 20 by a pair of smooth flat top tables 22 and 23 that are laterally slidably mounted on the platform frame. After the base 1 has been movd to a predetermined position against a fixed stop such as the columns 24 in Fig. l and after the platform frame has been lowered into close proximity with a pile of paper underneath the tables, the tables are successively retracted to let the trimmed stack 21 fall progressively onto the pile. It will be appreciated that the tables 22 and 23 and the guides 19 and 20 will always be returned to the same position against the stops 24 so that each successive stack of paper will be vertically aligned with the pile formed by the proceeding stack and the pile of paper will be vertically erect and accurately piled.

Piler base and drive mechanism The construction of the base 14 of the piler and the mechanism for moving the piler between the trimmer and the piling position is disclosed more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. As is illustrated, the base consists of a trans versely extending front member 25 of channel shaped cross section and longitudinal extending side members 26 connected at their ends to short cross pieces 27. Corner plates 28 welded to the bottoms of the base members connect the base members and form supports for the upright columns 17. The base is made U-shaped or left open at one side so that it can be advanced in straddling relation to a skid 29 and the partially completed pile of paper 30. Brackets 31 mounted at the corners of the base support the previously described wheels 15. The wheels are guided in or on tracks 16 secured to the floor.

In order to drive the base 14, an air motor 33 is mounted on the front right corner of the base and drivingly connected to a cross shaft 34 supported within the channel of the front cross member 25. The shaft 34 car- 'ries sprockets that are connected by chains 35 to the front wheels 15. The air motor 33 is selectively operated and controlled as will be described in connection with the controls and operating cycle of the apparatus.

In order-to cushion the movement of the base at the ends of its travel and still assure accurate and constant location of the base there is provided on the right end of the cross member 25 a dash pot 36 having a forwardly projecting plunger 37. A similar dash pot 38 with a rearwardly projecting plunger 39 is mounted in aligned relationon the short cross member 27 at the rear of the piler. The plungers 37 and 39 are mechanically connected by a push rod 40 so that retraction of one dash pot plunger serves to extend the plunger of the other dash pot. The plunger 37 on the front dash pot is arranged to strike the frame of the trimmer 1 and in the partially retracted position of the plunger to cushion the front edge of the piler in closely adjacent position to the front edge of the trimmer. The plunger 39 on the rear dash pot is arranged to strike a suitable stop such as the channel 41 (see Fig. 1) set into the floor and in the retracted position of the rear dash pot to locate the piler in abutting relation to the stops 24. In actual practice the air motor 33 is actuated to move the base forwardly or rearwardly and air. pressure is left on the motor to provide a biasing force constantly urging the piler against its locating stops particularly at the rear piling position.

Platform frame and hoisting mechanism The details of the platform frame 18 and the hoisting mechanism are disclosed more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. Each column 17 is provided with a ring or collar 42 that is vertically slidably guided on the column. Longitudinally extending side members 43 of channel shaped cross section are bolted between the collars at each side of the platform and support transversely extending cross beams 44 of I beam cross section. Secured along the inner sides of the cross beams 44 and underneath the top flanges thereof are slide rails 45 forming slide ways supporting the left table 22 and the right table 23. Flange plates 48 on the tables engage the slide ways and the tops of the tables have laminating plates 46 and 47 to make the tables of double thickness to form an air film table as will be described. The undersides of the flange plates 48 I carry rack bars 49 with downwardly facing teeth.

Mounted on the rear cross beam 44 are brackets 50 supporting a pair of motors 51 and 52. The motors 51 and 52 operate through suitable gear boxes to drive the transversely spaced longitudinally extending shafts 53 and 54. The shafts 53 and 54 are journaled on the cross beams 44 and have pinions 55 meshing with the racks 49. The motors 51 and 52 are connected to be reversely energized to actuate the pinions to transversely retract the tables 22 and 23 to transversely spaced positions and to advance the tables into closely spaced edge to edge relation in the center of the platform frame.

The left table 22 is provided with an air conduit 56 arranged to deliver compressed air to the space below the top lamination46 of the table while a second air conduit 57 is connected to supply air to below the top lamination 47 of the right table 23. A left guide angle 19 is adjustably mounted between the front and rear cross beams with its upright flange extending in spaced relationship about the left edge of the left table 46. A rear guide angle 20 is adjustably mounted on the rear cross beam 44 with its upright flange arranged at right angles to the guide angle 19 so that the guide angles 19 and 20 form a locating corner for the corner of a trimmed stack of paper supported on the tables 22 and 23. The upper laminations 46 and 47 of the tables are provided with a plurality of small air vents 60 so that when a stack of paper is pushed onto the tables air issuing from the space between the lamination and through the ports 60 will form an air film underneath the stack of paper and permit it to be slid easily into position.

The extreme outer ends of the cross beams 44 support longitudinal bars 61 having measurement graduations 62 on their upper surfaces. The left bar 61 slidably adjustably supports a lamp 63 forming a light source directed transversely across the platform frame and positioned to shine between the bottoms of the tables 22 and 23 and the tops of the shafts 53 and 54. The right bar 61 carries a photoelectric cell 64 positioned to intercept and be actuated by the beam of light from the lamp 63. The lamp 63 and photoelectric cell 64 are adjustable on the bars 61 so that they can be located on the opposite sides of the highest point of the pile of paper 30. It is pointed out that in actual practice of manufacture of paper a slight variation in the thickness of the sheet reoccurring at regular intervals may cause a substantial variation or hump in a pile of paper and the lamp and photocell are adjustable to bring them into alignment with such a hump wherever it may develop.

Each of the collars 42, on which the platform frame is supported, are provided with supporting lugs 65 pinned to suspension cables 66. The cables extend upwardly to winding drums 67 mounted on longitudinally extending hoisting shafts 68. The shafts 68 are mounted in suitable brackets 69 at the tops of the columns 17 and transverse tie bars 70 connect the brackets on opposite sides of the apparatus. One of the brackets 69 carries an electric hoisting motor 71 connected to the two shafts 68 by a transverse shaft that does not appear in the drawings. The entire hoisting apparatus mounted on the tops of the columns 17 is a commercially available structure frequently found in garages and so is not described in greater detail. The motor 71 is electrically connected to be reversely driven to raise and lower the platform frame as will be described. In order to prevent transverse movement of the platform frame during vertical adjustment over the pile 30 one of the stops 24 is provided with a tapered guide rail 72 engaged with block 73 on the right end of the rear cross beam 44. It will thus be seen that the hoisting mechanism and platform frame are adapted to horizontally advance the tables 22 and 23 and lower them over precisely the same location of the skid 29 and pile 30 on successive operations of the apparatus.

Operating cycle and control circuit Movement of the major elements of the apparatus is controlled by suitable valves and electrical circuits, part of which may conveniently be mounted in a control box 74 on the right end of the front cross beam 44 where it will be conveniently located within the reach of the trimmer operator as he actuates the previously described air valve 13 to eject the stack of trimmed paper from the trimmer onto the tables 22 and 23. The electrical and pneumatic connections for controlling the apparatus appear more clearly in Figs. 5 and 7 but the physical location of various limit switches is shown on other figures. Considering first the horizontal movement of the base 14 and the piling apparatus carried thereon, a source of air pressure is indicated at 75 delivering to a manual control three wayvalve 76 and to a manual shutoff valve 77 mounted conveniently adjacent to the control box 74. The three way valve 76 is selectively actuated to deliver air to the conduits 78 for reversely actuating the air motor 33 and moving the apparatus along the rails 16. As previously described the dash pots 36 and 38 cushion the engagement of the apparatus with itsliinit stops. Air pressure to the motor can be left on to hold the apparatus against the stops.

Air directed through the shutoff valve 77 is delivered directly and continuously through the conduit 56 to the left table 22. A branch conduit 79 delivers through a solenoid control valve 80 to the conduit 57 supplying the right table 23. The valve 80 and its controlling solenoid 81 are arranged to close when the solenoid is energized. It is the purpose of the valve 80 to shut off the air supply to the right table 23 prior to retraction of the left table 22 so that the stack of paper 21 will grip the table 23 more tightly while the left side of the stack slides easily on the. surface of the left table 22 as the left table is retracted. The left side of the stack of paper is thus deposited progressively on the top of the pile 30 as appears more clearly in Fig. 4 and after the left plate is fully retracted, air pressure is supplied to the right table 23 permitting the right side of the stack of paper to slide easily on the right table 23 as that table is retracted.

Operation of the air valves and motors can, of course, be manually controlled but to obtain full advantage of the apparatus an automatic control circuit is provided as shown in Fig. 7. A power source indicated at 82 delivers through a main switch 83 to both sides of the control circuit. For convenience in tracing the circuit the conductor 84 will be designated as the supply line while conductor 85 is designated as the return line. The amplifying circuit 86 of a photo electric relay 87 associated with the photo electric cell 64 is connected directly across the two lines. The supply line 84 is next interrupted by a normally closed emergency stop push button switch 88 that delivers to a normally open cycle starting push button switch 89. Momentary closing of the switch 89 energizes a first solenoid 90 directly to the return line 85. Energization of the solenoid 90 closes a switch 91 on the conductor 92 and thus energizes a conductor 93 which remains energized throughout the cycle of the apparatus. A holding circuit for the solenoid 90 is established through a conductor 94 and a normally closed solenoid operated switch 95 so that the cycle button 89 can be released.

The first effect of closing the switch 91 is to energize a time delay switching device such as the time delay solenoid 96 connected between the conductor 93 and a return connection 92 to the return line. At the same time a circuit is established through the solenoid controlled switch 98 and conductor 99 to the previously described solenoid 81 to close the valve 80 and shut off the operation of air to the right table 23. After the time delay device 96 has operated through its time cycle which in practice is of the order of ten seconds, the relay operated switch 100 is closed to energize the conductor 101 through a relay operated switch 102 to the relay switch 103 operated by the photoelectric relay and from there through the conductor 104 to a down control solenoid 105. A down limit switch 106 in the conductor 101 functions to break the circuit when the platform frame has reached the bottom limit of its travel. The solenoid 105 actu'ates a power switch 106 to energize the motor 71 to lower the platform frame over the pile of paper 30. As the platform frame approaches the top of the pile 30 or the skid 29 the light beam from the lamp 63 to the photoelectric cell 64 is interrupted causing the photoelectric relay 87 to open the switch 103 and stop the downward movement of the platform frame. Actuation of the photoelectric relay 87 also closes a relay switch 107 completing a circuit from the conductor 93 to a conductor 108 that energizes a second control solenoid 109.

Energization of the solenoid 109 closes a switch 110 that completes a holding circuit through the conductor 111. It also opens the relay switch 102 to further interrupt the energization circuit to the down control solenoid 1 05. Closing of .the switch 110 completes a circuit through the conductor 112 through the normally closed relay switch 113 and conductor 114 to a solenoid 115. The solenoid 115 closes a power relay switch 116 that energizes the left motor 51 to retract the left table 22. The left table 22 strikes an out limit switch 117 breaking the circuit through the conductor 114 to stop the motor 51 and to simultaneously close a switch 118 in the conductor 119 from the control conductor 93. Conductor 119 energizes a third control solenoid 120 and also energizes conductor 121 to a second time delay switching device such as the solenoid 122 of the time delay relay switch 123.

Energization of the solenoid 120 closes the relay switch 124 to complete a holding circuit through the conductor 125 to the solenoid 120 and the solenoid 122. It also further breaks the circuit to the power control solenoid 115 by opening the relay switch 113. Further the energization of the solenoid 120 opens the relay switch 98 and deenergizes the solenoid 81 permitting the valve 80 to open and readmit air to the right table 23. The delay of the relay 122 which may be of the order of ten seconds permits the air film to build up under the stack of paper on the right table 23 after which the relay switch 123 is closed energizing the conductor 126 that extends through a relay switch 127 and limit switch 128 to a power control solenoid 129. The solenoid 129 closes a relay switch 130 to energize the motor 52 to retract the right table 23. At its outward limit of travel the table 23 engages and opens the limit switch 128 to stop the motor and simultaneously closes a switch 131 that energizes a conductor 132 connected to a fourth control solenoid 133 and also to a third time delay solenoid 134.

Energization of the fourth control solenoid 133 closes a relay switch 135 forming a holding circuit for the solenoid and also opens the switch 127 further interrupting the circuit to the power controlled solenoid 129. The time delay of the solenoid134 may be of the order of three seconds after which the relay switch 136 is closed to energize the conductor 137 and a fifth control solenoid 138. Energization of solenoid 138 closes arelay switch 139 to complete a holding circuit for the solenoid and also to energize a conductor 140 through a limit switch 141 to the power control solenoid 142. The solenoid 142 closes a power switch 143 to energize the right motor 52 to move the right table 23 inwardly. Simultaneously the fifth solenoid 138 closes a switch 144 to energize the conductor 145 to the solenoid 146. The solenoid 146 closes a power switch 147 to energize the left motor 51 and return the left table 22 inwardly. The control solenoid 138 also opens a switch 148 through which the conductor 149 and up control solenoid 150 had been energized from the conductor at 132 during the three second time interval established by the'time delay relay 134. The up control solenoid 150 closes a power switch 151 to energize the hoisting motor 71 for lifting motion. Thus the platform frame is automatically raised to clear the top of the pile and the newly added stack prior to closing motion of the tables 22 and 23.

As the right table 23 reaches the inward limit of its travel it strikes and opens the limit switch 141 deenergizing the solenoid 142 and simultaneously closes a switch 152. As the left table reaches its inner limit of movement it strikes and opens a limit switch 153 deenergizing the solenoid 146. Simultaneously it closes a switch 154. The switches 152 and 154 are connected in series in a conductor 155 that is energized through the relay switch 139 and which extends to a sixth control solenoid 156. The solenoid 156 opens the previously described switch 95 in the holding circuit 94 to the first control solenoid 90. Deenergization of the solenoid 90 opens the relay switch 91 and deenergizes the entire system so that the apparatus finishes its cycle with the platform frame and tables at rest above the level of the pile of paper and with the tables close together.

Positioning of the platform frame and the tables to ceive the succeeding stack of paper is a semi-automatic procedure during which the operator actuates the air valve 76 to returnthe piling apparatus to adjacent the trimmer. He also depresses a down control push button switch 157 when necessary that completes a circuit through the relay switch 158 and conductor 159 through previously described circuit 101 to the down control solenoid 105. Physically positioned on the trimmer and electric-ally connected in the down control conductor 101 is the previously described limit switch 106 that automatically stops the tables at the correct level. If the initial level of the tables is such as to require their elevation to the trimmer, a push button switch 160 is pressed ,to energize the conductor 161 to the previously described conductor 149 connected to the up control solenoid 156. An up control limit switch 162 associated with the limit switch 106 automatically stops the upward movement of the tables at the correct level.

Manual control buttons 163, 164, 165 and 166 are pnovided and connected respectively to permit manual movement of the left table out, the right table out, the left table in, and the right table in, independently of the automatic cycle of the apparatus.

Mode of operation With the foregoing apparatus the trimmer operator positions the tables to receive the newly trimmed stack and actuates the ejector cylinders 9 through the valve 13 to move the trimmed stack onto the tables 22 and 23. He then actuates the valve 76 to advance the piling apparatus to piling position while simultaneously pressing up control button 160 if it is necessary to elevate the platform frame to clear a high pile of paper or he may press the down button 157 to partially lower the platform frame to an empty skid 29. During horizontal movement of the apparatus air is being supplied to both tables 22 and 23 and the assistant trimmer operator may ride the base 14 while locating the trimmed stack against the guide angles 19 and 20. The apparatus automatically locates and holds itself against the stops 24 and the operator has only to press the cycle starter button 89 to cause the apparatus to complete its unloading cycle automatically while the operators proceed with further loading of the trimmer. The apparatus not only saves time and considerable manual effort on the part of the trimmer operators but it automatically creates or builds a pile of paper on the skid that is more truly vertical than a pile built up by hand. The pile of paper is thus more easily wrapped, bound and shipped on the skid and there is less likelihood of the pile collapsing and damaging the paper. The accurately plumb character of the pile formed by the piler make the pile much easier to locate in printing presses that use a large amount of paper piled in this manner and renders the sheet pickup mechanism of the press much more accurate and certain. The smooth plumb sides of the pile provide a minimum exposed area of the paper in the pile so when the pile is in storage it is much less likely to pick up moisture from or release moisture to the atmosphere and the moisture content of the paper remains more constant.

Having thus described the invention, what claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Paper piling apparatus comprising a horizontal U-shaped base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above the corners of said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts,

hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from opposed abutting relation to spaced apart relation transversely of the open side of said base, first and secondair supply means including first and second valves connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on the bottoms of said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, an electric eye sensing device on said platform frame and directed thereacross under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a flat support and the top of a stack of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at a paper trimming machine and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engage said platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, an air motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, dash pots on said base arranged to cushion the movement of the base against said abutments, means connecting the pistons of said dash pots to extend one dash pot as the other is retracted, manual control means connected to actuate said air motor, and sequentially operating automatic control means including limit switches actuated by said tables at the limits of their travel arranged to lower said platform until said electric eye sensing device senses the approach of the tables to a support, deactuate said second air supply means, retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated after a time delay, reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables, retract the second of said tables after a time delay, elevate said platform frame with said tables retracted for a timed period, close said tables, and bring the apparatus to rest with the control means conditioned for manual operation.

2. Paper piling apparatus comprising a horizontal U- sh-ape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above the corners of said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of'smooth-flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slid-able from opposed abutting relation to spaced apart relation, first and second air supply means including first and second valves connected to sep-. arately create air films on said tables, racks on said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame and directed thereacross under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to'closely adjacent a flat support and the top of a stack of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at a paper trimming machine and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engagesaid platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having -lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, an air motor on saidbase connected to reversely drive said Wheels, dash pots on said base arranged to cushion the movement of the base against said abutments, means connecting the pistons of said dash pots to extend one dash pot as the other is retracted, manual co-ntrolrneans connected to actuate said air motor, and operating control means including limit switches actuated by said tables at the limits of their travel arranged to lower said platform until said sensing device senses the approach of the tables to a support, deactuate said second air supply means, retract a first of said tables with which said first supply "means is associated after a time delay,

repeater reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables, retract the second of said tables after a time delay, elevate said platform frame with said tables retracted for a timed period, close said tables, and bring the apparatus to rest with the control means conditioned for manual operation.

3. Paper piling apparatus comprising a horizontal U- shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above the corners of said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from opposed abutting relation to spaced apart relation transversely of said base, first and second air supply means including first and second valves connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on the bottoms of said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame and under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a flat support and the top of a pile of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at a paper trimming machine and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engage said platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, an air motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said air 'motor, and sequentially operating automatic control 'the apparatus to rest with the control means conditioned for manual operation.

4. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having air operated pistons on the back guide thereof arranged to push a stack of paper off the trimmer table, a horizontal U-shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth fiat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from opposed abutting relation to spaced apart relation transversely of said base, guides adjustably mounted on said platform frame to centrally locate a stack of paper over the adjacent edges of said tables, first and second air supply means including first and second valves connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on the bottoms of said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reof paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to ciprocate said tables, an electric eye sensing device on said platform frame and directed thereacross under said guide said base between a receiving station at said paper trimmer and a discharge station over said support, abut ments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engage said platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, an air motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, dash pots on said base arranged to cushion the movement of the base against said abutments, means connecting the pistons of said dash pots to extend one dash pot as the other is retracted, manual control means connected to actuate said air motor, other manual control means connected to actuate said pistons, and sequentially operating automatic control means including limit switches actuated by said tables at the limits of their travel arranged to lower said platform frame until said electric eye sensing device senses the approach of the tables to a support, then deactuate said second air supply means, then retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated after a time delay, then reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables, then retract the second of said tables after a time delay, then elevate said platform frame with said tables retracted for a timed period, then closed said tables and bring the apparatus to rest with the control means conditioned for manual operation.

5. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having air operated pistons on the back guide thereof arranged to push a stack of paper off the trimmer table, a horizontal U-shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from opposed abutting relation to spaced apart relation transversely of said base, first and second air supply means including first and second valves connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on the bottoms of said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a flat support and the top of a pile of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said Wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at said paper trimmer and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, a motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said wheel drive motor, other manual control means connected to actuate said pistons, and sequentially operating automatic control means including limit switches actuated by said tables at the limits of their travel arranged to lower said platform frame until said sensing device senses the approach of the tables to a support, then deactuate said second air supply means, then retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated after a time delay, then reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables, then retract the second of said tables after a time delay, then elevate said platform frame with said tables retracted for a timed period, then close said tables and bring the apparatus to rest with the control means conditioned for manual operation.

6. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having power operated pushers on the back guide thereof arranged to push a stack of paper off the trimmer table, a horizontal U-shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner .posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular a l 1 platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on the top of said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from side by side relation to spaced apart relation, guides mounted on said platform frame to centrally locate a stack of paper over the ad jacent edges of said tables, first and second air supply means including a valve connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a flat support and the top of a pile of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at said trimmer and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engage said platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, a motor 'on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said wheel drive motor, other manual control means connected to actuate said pusher, and operating control means arranged to actuate said first motor to raise and lower said platform and to deactuate said second air supply means and to retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated and to reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables and to retract the second of said tables and to close said tables.

7. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having power operated pushers on the back guide thereof arranged to push a stack of paper off the trimmer table, a horizontal U-shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on said base and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slid-able from side by side rel-ation to spaced apart relation, guides mounted on said platform frame to centrally locate a stack of paper over the adjacent edges of said tables, first and second air supply means including a valve connected to separately created air films on said tables, a pair of motors connected to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a fiat support and the top of a pile of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at said trimmer and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, a motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said wheel drive motor, other manual control means connected to'actuate said pusher, and operating control means arranged to actuate said first motor to raise and lower said platform and to deactuate said second air supply means and to retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated and to reactuate the second of said supply means associated with the second of said tables and toretract the second of said tables and to close said tables.

8. Paper piling apparatus comprising a base mounted on wheels, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said case, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on said base and connected to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted on coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from side by side relation to spaced apart relation, first and second air supply means including a valve connected to separately create air films on said tables, a pair of motors connected to separately reciprocate said tables, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at a paper trimming machine and a discharge station, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, the abutment at the discharge station extending vertically to engage said platform frame in various adjusted positions of the platform and having lateral locating engagement with the platform frame, a motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said wheel drive motor, other control means connected to actuate said first motor, and operating control means arranged to deactuate said second air supply means and to retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated and to retract the second of said tables and to close said tables.

9. Paper piling apparatus comprising a base mounted on wheels, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on said base and connected to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth flat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from side by side relation to spaced apart relation, first and second air supply means including a valve connected to separately create air films on said tables, means connected to reciprocate said tables, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station and a discharge station, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, a motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said wheel drive motor, other control means connected to actuate said first motor, and operating control means arranged to deactuate said second air supply means and to retract a first of said tables with which said first supply means is associated and to retract the second of said tables and to close said tables.

10. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer 'having a reciprocable back guide, extensible means on said back guide and extensible therefrom to project a stack of paper beyond the forward limit of movement of the back guide and over the front edge of the trimmer table, a carriage movable between a receiving position adjacent to said trimmer and a piling position-remote from said trimmer, a platform vertically reciprocable on said carriage, a pair of tables horizontally reciprocable on said platform, guide bars on said platform positioned to locate a stack of paper on the tables, one of said guide bars extending transversely of the path of one of said tables, means connected to reciprocate said tables to draw the tables from underneath a stack of paper on the tables, means connected to create an air film on said tables, means connected to deactuate the air film creating means for one of said tables while the other table is being retracted under said guide bar, and means connected to raise and lower said platform to locate said tables alter n-ately at the level of said trimmer table and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

11. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having a reciprocable back guide, extensible means on said back guide and extensible therefrom to project a stack of paper beyond the forward limit of movement of the back guide and over the front edge of the trimmer table, a carriage movable between a receiving position adjacent to said trimmer and a piling position remote from said trimmer, a platform vertically reciprocable on said carriage, a table horizontally reciprocable on said platform, guide bars on said platform positioned to locate a stack of paper on the table, one of said guide bars extending transversely of the path of said table, means connected to reciprocate said table to draw the table from underneath a stack of paper on the table, means connected to create an air film on said table, means connected to deactuate the air film creating means, and means connected to raise and lower said platform to locate said table alternately at the level of said trimmer table and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

12. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having a reciprocable back guide, extensible means on said back guide and extensible therefrom to project a stack of paper beyond the forward limit of movement of the back guide and over the front edge of the trimmer table, a carriage movable between a receiving position adjacent to said trimmer and a piling position remote from said trimmer, a platform vertically reciprocable on said carriage, a table horizontally reciprocable on said platform, guide bars on said platform positioned to locate a stack of paper on the table, one of said guide bars extending transversely of the path of said table, means connected to reciprocate said table to draw the table from underneath a stack of paper on the table, means connected to create an air film on said table, and means connected to raise and lower said platform to locate said table alternately at the level of said trimmer table and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

13. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having a reciprocable back guide, extensible means on said back guide and extensible therefrom to project a stack of paper beyond the forward limit of movement of the back guide and over the front edge of the trimmer table, a support movable between a receiving position adjacent to said trimmer and a piling position remote from said trimmer, means for adjusting said support vertically, a pair of tables horizontally reciprocable on said support, guides on said support positioned to locate a stack of paper on the tables, one of said guides extending transversely of the path of one of said tables, means connected to reciprocate said tables to draw the tables from underneath a stack of paper on the tables, means connected to create an air film on said tables, means connected to deactuate the air film creating means for one of said tables while the other table is being retracted under said one guide, and means connected to control said adjusting means to raise and lower said support to locate said tables alternately at the level of said trimmer table and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

14. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising 'a trimmer having a reciprocable back guide, extensible means on said back guide and extensible therefrom to project a stack of paper beyond the forward limit of movement of the back guide and over the front edge of the trimmer table, a support movable between a receiving position adjacent to said trimmer and a piling position remote from said trimmer, means for adjusting said support vertically, a table horizontally reciprocable on said support, guides on said support positioned to locate a stack of paper on the table, one of said guides extending transversely of the path of one table, means connected to reciprocate said table to draw the table from underneath a stack of paper on the table, and means connected to control said adjusting means to raise and lower said support to locate said table alternately at the level of said trimmer table and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

' 15. Paper piling apparatus comprising a carriagemovable between a receiving position and a piling position, a platform vertically reciprocable on said carriage, a table horizontally reciprocable on said platform, guides on said platform positioned to locate a stack of paper on the table, one of said guides extending transversely of the path of said table on said platform, means connected to reciprocate said table to draw the table from underneath a stack of paper on the table, means connected to create an air film on said table, and means connected to raise and lower said platform to locate said table alternately at a receiving level and just above the level of a support to receive said staclcof paper.

16. Paper piling apparatus comprising a carriage movable between a receiving position and a piling position, a platform vertically reciprocable on said carriage, a pair of tables horizontally reciprocable on said platform, means connected to reciprocate said tables to draw the tables from underneath a stack of paper on the tables, means connected to create an air film on said tables, means connected to deactuate the air film creating means for one of said tables while the other table is being retracted from under a stack of paper, and means connected to raise and lower said platform to locate said tables alternately at a receiving level and just above the level of a support to receive said stack of paper.

17. Paper piling apparatus comprising a support movable between a receiving position and a piling position, means for adjusting said support vertically, a pair of tables horizontally reciprocable on said support, means connected to reciprocate said tables to draw the tables from underneath a stack of paper on the tables, means connected to create an air film on said tables, means connected to deactuate the air film creating means for one of said tables while the other table is being retracted from under a stack of paper, and means connected to control said adjusting means to raise and lower said support to locate said tables alternately at a receiving level and just above the level of a second support to receive said stack of paper.

18. Paper trimming and piling apparatus comprising a trimmer having a power operated pusher on the back guide thereof arranged to push a stack of paper off the trimmer table, a horizontal U-shape base mounted on wheels to roll toward the open side of the base, corner posts mounted on and projecting above said base, a rectangular platform frame vertically slidably mounted on said posts, hoist mechanism mounted on said posts and connected by cables to said platform frame, a motor connected to drive said hoist mechanism to raise and lower said platform frame, a pair of smooth fiat tables horizontally slidably mounted in coplanar relation on said platform frame and slidable from opposed adjacent relation to spaced apart relation transversely of said base, guides adjustably mounted on said platform to centrally locate a stack of paper over the adjacent edges of said tables, first and second air supply means including first and second valves connected to separately create air films on said tables, racks on the bottoms of said tables, a pair of motors and connected pinions connected to said racks and arranged to separately reciprocate said tables, a sensing device on said platform frame under said tables to sense the approach of the bottoms of the tables to closely adjacent a fiat support and the top of a pile of paper thereon, tracks engaged with said wheels to guide said base between a receiving station at said paper trimmer and a discharge station over said support, abutments engageable with said base at said stations, a motor on said base connected to reversely drive said wheels, manual control means connected to actuate said second motor, other manual control means connected to actuate said pistons, and sequentially operating automatic control means including limit switches actuated by said tables at the limits of their References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,534 Ferrahian Sept. 8, 1903 16 English Ian. 6, 1931 Smitmans Mar. 13, 1934 Seft Feb. 2, 1937 Ajello July 4, 1939 Wikle June 29, 1943 Isella et a1. V Feb. 3, 1953 Socke Aug. 11, 1953 Meyer Apr. 10, 1956 Thumin Nov. 27, 1956 

